Slideshow SE
by John West · Media
Completely free, open source plugin to easily add slideshows to your WordPress site.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 87/100
Few reviews
Active installs
2K+
≈2.9K estimated
Momentum
-16%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “carousel”, “free” and “gallery” for “slideshows”, “slides” and “slide”. “carousel” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slideshows” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “free” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slides” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “gallery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slide” sits at #23 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
87 health vs 62 average across 3,280 Media plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.5%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 36.5K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Media plugin keeps 0.8%, across 2,318 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Media plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 4 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 69 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 8 reviews, smoothed to 4.21★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
43
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
27%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.2
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| slideshow your tag | #3 | #7 | 0 |
| responsive slideshow | #4 | #10 | 0 |
| slideshows | #6 | #14 | 0 |
| wordpress slideshow | #3 | #8 | 0 |
| post slideshow | #3 | #7 | up 1 |
| wp slideshow | #4 | #11 | down 1 |
| header image slideshow | #4 | #11 | 0 |
| image slideshow | #5 | #13 | up 1 |
| carousel slideshow | #5 | #10 | 0 |
| slides | #10 | #19 | up 1 |
| open source | #24 | #22 | 0 |
| wordpress slideshow gallery | #11 | #19 | down 1 |
| gallery slideshow | #11 | #18 | up 2 |
| slide | #23 | #21 | up 1 |
| carousel your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| free your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| gallery your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| image your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
37 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 14 listed. 23 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “carousel”, “free” and “gallery” for “slideshows”, “slides” and “slide”. “carousel” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slideshows” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “free” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slides” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “gallery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slide” sits at #23 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 3.2K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
4
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v2.7.2 · 23 Aug 2026
25
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 61% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 17 Aug 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ knecker5mo ago
Unfortunately, resizing the window always rewrites width and height values, therefore no responsive design possible (css @media queries). Every slideshow must also be set to fixed pixel values, which is weird in 2026 (no vw, vh, em, rem, etc). Besides that, its free and opensource, so horray!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ flobogo2.7y ago
Thanks for the update work.Excellent plugin, which works perfectly. I love the random function for displaying slides.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Alfredo Matricciani3.0y ago
This plug-in it’v really nice and customizable, i put it on my home page and have been using it for at least 10 years since the first project was created!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ silico263.5y ago
very happy to see someone picking up the pieces from the previous outdated Slideshow plugins (more than one!) – the earliest of which was finally removed all together from the WP plugin repository last year due to security issues. excellent fork, thank you again for sharing your work with the rest of us. this saved me a lot of time.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ebonweaver3.5y ago
Honestly, why is it so hard to find real honest free plugins? Took me an hour to stumble into this after many searches. Tons of features. Actually free. Actually works. Not bloatware, not addware, no tricks or catches. Is it perfect? No, not at all. Sure the fancy stupid expensive options have it all in a GUI in your block editor, but with a simple shortcode you can add an “object” you define just like a page or post. And did I mention TONS of options? More than I have seen in all the paid junkware. You sir are a paragon and this plugin is a shining example of what the open source community used to be. Thank you for sharing your personal labor with the rest of us.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ belbernard4.4y ago
Excellent, worked immediately and easy to set up…
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ arno5.6y ago
Very useful slider with a lot of settings. I tried many but some are overdone and in the end still miss the best options. This one has many options all one one screen, very easy to use. Detailed size settings width, height, crop, zoom, behaviour when resized etc. You add more a videolink or your own text as a slide. Good control over the controls display and 7 cool animation effects + 1 random. Slides can be saved no need to save shortcodes. Shortcodes can be added to widgets and posts. I use another plugin for a featured caroussel or a categorie slider for homepage or sidebars in combination with this plugin. Succes ermeee bedankt! Gr. Arno veers
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mbrsolution6.1y ago
Thank you John West for bringing this fantastic plugin back to life 🙂 I published many tutorials years ago and thought they would go to waste. But now I can keep them running and of course I have to also update some of them. When I have the time, I will help with the Spanish translation 🙂 Well done.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.7.1 Update the Gutenberg block to support useBlockProps, which is required by API v3 2.7.1
- — Version 2.7.0 Add preview to the Gutenberg block. The first slide of the slideshow will display as the preview. Fixed: styling controls now appear on a new text slide. Set the Block API to version 3, per WP recommendation. This means 2.7.0
- — Version 2.6.0 New feature: Adds styled text to Text slides Lots of security fixes, including a fix for CVE-2024-35769. Address some code style issues (linting, typos, etc). Changes to webpack config to combine and minimize the Javascr 2.6.0
- — Version 2.5.20 Fix link display issue. 2.5.20
- — Version 2.5.19 Fix widget display issue. Fix issue where settings aren’t displaying correctly. 2.5.19
- — Version 2.5.18 Fix local file injection (LFI) issue. Fix various security issues. 2.5.18
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 4 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.7.2). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2024-06-19 CVE-2024-35778 Improper Control of Filename for Include/Require Statement in PHP Program Affects <= 2.5.17 Patched in 2.5.18
- 2024-06-18 CVE-2024-35769 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.20 Patched in 2.6.0
- 2022-10-28 CVE-2022-41554 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.5 Patched in 2.5.6
- 2022-10-28 CVE-2022-43461 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.5 Patched in 2.5.6
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 25 languages, 8 at 90% or more
Plus 1 more locale with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
6 of 8 pass · checked 25 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Completely free, open source plugin to easily add slideshows to your WordPress site."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Gutenberg, YouTube.
- ✓ Headings and lists 3 headings and 2 lists.
- ! Enough to quote 925 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "carousel", "gallery" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2023-10-22 1K+ → 2K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2023-10-21 2K+ → 1K+ down after 7 days in tier
- 2023-10-14 1K+ → 2K+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- S Simple Lightbox 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A
-
AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel 60K+ installs · 4.7★ · 3 shared tags A -
Slick Slider 2K+ installs · 4.1★ · 3 shared tags A -
Smart Slider 3 800K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
Firelight Lightbox 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Slideshow SE into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/slideshow-se" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Slideshow SE — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Slideshow SE: 2K+ active installs, 4.9★ (8 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/slideshow-se
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